Asia Pacific leaders renew commitment to malaria-free region by 2030

Earlier this month during the East Asia Summit (EAS), hosted in Vientiane by the Government of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, leaders of Asia Pacific countries strongly asserted their determination to tackle malaria across the region. Together representing more than half the world’s population, they underscored progress towards the priority actions laid out in the Asia Pacific Leaders’ Malaria Elimination Roadmap.

The EAS coincided with Sri Lanka receiving WHO malaria-free certification on September 6th. As only the second country in the WHO South-East Asia Region to be declared malaria-free, Sri Lanka is a shining example of remarkable progress towards malaria elimination in a region that has achieved a 45% decline in malaria cases since 2000 .

While regional- and country-level challenges to eliminating malaria persist in Asia Pacific, some countries in the region are aiming to beat the 2030 regional goal. These include Bhutan, China, and Nepal.

For more information about the EAS and the malaria elimination commitment, see this press release from the Asia Pacific Leaders Malaria Alliance (APLMA).